Omaha daily bee., 1887-11-20
CRIME AND CASUALTY MIXED,
Desperate Struggle Of Officer Crmsby
With "a Prisoner.
THE PATROL HORSES RUN AWAY.
Policeman and Prisoner Fight Until
the Wagon Overturns at the
Fort-Shot at Dance
Fatal Accident.
Tom Ormsby's Gallant Fight.

In the patrol wagon about midnight last
night there was enacted one Of the most des-
perate and bloody struggles and exhibition of
courage and pluck on the part of an officer
yet known in the police history of Omaha,
and Tom Ormsby is the hero Of it. Tom was
acting as conductor Of the patrol wagon last
evening, and was called to the corner Of
Twelfth and Douglas streets to take charge
Of q prisoner named Tim O'Boyle. On the
way TO the police station the prisoner sud
denly made dash for liberty, when he was
thwarted BY the officer. Then followed q
desperate struggle between officer and cap
tive, when Tom, who only got up from sick
bed few days ago, found himself too weak
to successfully cope with the prisoner,
and called to jim O'3rien, the driver for
help Jim turned in his seat to aid Ormsby,
when the patrol suddenly ran into an excava-
tion and threw O'Brien to the pavement,
knocking him senseless and cutting his face
and head badly. Meanwhile the horses, find
ing themselves free, dashed furiousiy down
Dodge street with Ormsby and his prisoner
still battling for the upper hand. AS the
patrol went flying up Sixteenth street. the
prisoner managed to get hold of his revolver
and fired three times at Ormsby, but for
tunatcly none Of the bullets took effect The
officer finally managed to squeeze the weapon
from O'Boyles hand and threw it into the
street. When the runaway team had reached
Sherman avenue, O'Boyle again managed to
get the upper hand of Ormsby, and, lift
ing him up bodily he threw
him violently TO the pavement.
Tom was frlghtfully cut up by this
fall, the flesh on his forehead being split from
top to bottom, exposing the skull, his nose
was slit on the side and otherwise horribly
bruised. and his chin sustained three wounds
But in IL second the plucky officer was on his
feet again, and, running after the patrol, he
managed to catch it just as O'Boyle was on
the point of leaving it, With a single blow
from his billy Ormsby knocked his opponent
back into the bottom of the patrol, when fol-
lowed another fierce battle for the possession
of the billy, which only ended by the horses
running into tree in front of Fort Omaha,
shattering the patrol wagon, and throwing
both the combatants to the ground. The
dauntless officer, however, again grappled
with his prisoner, and sounding an
alarm, in q few seconds some of the
soldiers from the fort appeared. The
situation was explained, government hack
was brought out, and under the surveillance
of the soldiery the bloody pair were escorted
to the police station, where Ormsby, hatless,
coatless and unrecognizable save by his voice
delivered up his prisoner about / o'clock.
DR.. Ralph and an assistant were called, and
the wounds of the trio were dressed the ply.
sicians finding it necessary to sew up the
frightful wound in Ormsbys head. The in
juries of O'Brien, the driver, were found to
be less than those Of Ormsby, while the pris.
oner who had caused all the trouble was the
least hurt of all
At about 9 o'clock the team and patrol
wagon were found coming back on Cunning
street between Fifteenth and Sixteenth.